Petaluma chiropractor to seek Assembly seat

October 4, 2011, 7:01PM

10/04/2011

H. Christian Gunderson, a Petaluma chiropractor and counselor, is running for an open seat in the state Assembly representing Marin County and a segment of Sonoma County including about half of Santa Rosa.

Gunderson, 53, a political newcomer and a Democrat, is competing for the 10th Assembly District seat, newly created by California's statewide redistricting. The district includes Petaluma, Sonoma, Sebastopol and Santa Rosa south of College Avenue.

The incumbent Sonoma-Marin assemblyman, Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, is termed out of office and is running for the North Coast seat in Congress.

"I'm at a point in my life where I'm ticked off enough to want change," Gunderson said, regarding his decision to step into elective politics.

A Sonoma County resident for 20 years, Gunderson said he is campaigning at this point largely through YouTube videos posted on his web site, www.drhchristiangunderson.com/.

Gunderson said he has limited connection with Marin County and intends to introduce himself to the mayors and other city officials there, as well as in Sonoma County.

"California needs healing," Gunderson said, asserting that "doctors would make better politicians." The state's problems are "fixable," Gunderson said, offering the following proposals:

-- A state health insurance brokerage that would offer affordable plans for employees of small businesses. The federal health care law has such a provision, but Gunderson said it is unclear how it will be implemented.

-- A requirement that large banks apply 25 percent of their deposits to small business loans in California.

-- A ban on palm oil, which is used in cosmetics and as a food additive and involves the clearing of rain forests, he said.

H. Christian Gunderson, a Petaluma chiropractor and counselor, is running for an open seat in the state Assembly representing Marin County and a segment of Sonoma County including about half of Santa Rosa.

Gunderson, 53, a political newcomer and a Democrat, is competing for the 10th Assembly District seat, newly created by California's statewide redistricting. The district includes Petaluma, Sonoma, Sebastopol and Santa Rosa south of College Avenue.

The incumbent Sonoma-Marin assemblyman, Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, is termed out of office and is running for the North Coast seat in Congress.

"I'm at a point in my life where I'm ticked off enough to want change," Gunderson said, regarding his decision to step into elective politics.

A Sonoma County resident for 20 years, Gunderson said he is campaigning at this point largely through YouTube videos posted on his web site, www.drhchristiangunderson.com/.

Gunderson said he has limited connection with Marin County and intends to introduce himself to the mayors and other city officials there, as well as in Sonoma County.

"California needs healing," Gunderson said, asserting that "doctors would make better politicians." The state's problems are "fixable," Gunderson said, offering the following proposals:

-- A state health insurance brokerage that would offer affordable plans for employees of small businesses. The federal health care law has such a provision, but Gunderson said it is unclear how it will be implemented.

-- A requirement that large banks apply 25 percent of their deposits to small business loans in California.

-- A ban on palm oil, which is used in cosmetics and as a food additive and involves the clearing of rain forests, he said.

-- A severance tax on oil and natural gas extracted from state land and waters.

-- A requirement that 25 percent of credit card finance charges collected by banks go to the state for education or other purposes.